In Debate, Romney Lists Tesla with ‘Losers’

By Kara Swisher

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TEsla Model S

While political pundits will be chewing over the first Presidential debate last night, techies are more likely to be pondering Gov. Mitt Romney’s dismissal of Tesla.

The company is the maker of high-end electric cars, many of which have been bought by rich geeks in Silicon Valley. But the Republican candidate dubbed Tesla a “loser” in an attack on tax breaks President Barack Obama gave to green energy companies.

“You put $90 billion — like 50 years’ worth of breaks — into solar and wind, to Solyndra and Fisker and Tesla and Ener1,” said Romney. “I mean, I had a friend who said, you don’t just pick the winners and losers; you pick the losers.”